Serene Bathrooms and a Creative Studio Extension in Mulgrave, Melbourne

More Space in Mulgrave

Andrew and Angela, the owners of this two-storey Mulgrave home, decided it was time to give their dated bathrooms a luxurious transformation and expand their ground-level living space. 
To elevate the appearance and functionality of their home, they enlisted Refresh Renovations for expert support with the entire process. Once introduced to local Renovation Partner Paul Cree, the homeowners were ready to begin their exciting project. From design to build, Paul led them through the process of upgrading their ensuite and main bathroom, along with extending their property to create an additional room. It was no small home improvement, but Paul ensured it would be a stress-free experience with fantastic results. 

Consult, Concept, and Cost

The early stages of the Refresh process are where homeowners lay out their priorities with their Renovation Partner and manage their expectations. Since Angela and Andrew wanted to remodel both bathrooms in the home, it was essential for one to remain functional at all times. For this reason, they decided it was best to renovate in two stages; completing the main bathroom in stage one and the ensuite and room extension in round two.
When creating the concept, Paul facilitated a collaborative experience between the homeowners and the interior designer, who created 3D mockups of the bathrooms, allowing Angela and Andrew to clearly visualise the changes. As for the ground-level extension, it was imperative for the addition to be multi-purpose to increase resale value. Being near primary schools and colleges means it will likely become a family home in the future and would greatly benefit from having an extra bedroom. But for now, Angela would use the space as a creative studio. 
Initially, the project was estimated to cost $163,000. Results came close to this number, although the cost expanded slightly to include a custom storage solution in the additional room. Overall, this home renovation costed a total of  $169,000.

Construction Kickoff

Phase one of construction was focused on the main bathroom. This first stage was swiftly completed in just three weeks. 
Unlucky with timing, the next stage commenced in May of 2020, which coincided with the COVID-19 lockdowns. Had Angela and Andrew chosen to undertake the home renovation themselves, contracting and organising tradespeople around this time would have been incredibly difficult and time-consuming. But thankfully, Paul was there to manage the entire build process.
Paul handled the construction schedule with the utmost professionalism, doing his best to keep the project on track while complying with COVID health and safety obligations. Despite the difficulties with restrictions, Paul and his renovation team completed Angela and Andrew’s home in December of 2020.

Contemporary Bathrooms

A minimalist design has upgraded the main bathroom and ensuite, using clean lines, natural materials, and neutral colours to create a serene, modern look – a far cry from the previously dated, cream-coloured interiors. 
Both bathrooms now showcase large walk-in showers with sleek showerheads and recessed shelving. While the rooms are brightened with glossy white tiling, light-grey tiles create striking feature walls and continue across the floor. The vanities flaunt their natural wood grain with ever-so-subtle red undertones that offer warmth to the otherwise crisp palette. 
The original glass block windows have been kept for their practical quality of providing privacy without blocking out treasured sunlight. The only necessary lighting were a few downlights for a soft glow at night, as the windows and skylights allowed plenty of light to pour in throughout the day. 

A Smart Layout for the New Room

In the ground-level extension, brightening the room was a large consideration too. As Angela intended on using the space for a creative studio, she wanted optimal natural light to aid with delicate craftwork. In solution, a skylight has been integrated along with large double-glazed windows. 
A custom-designed storage solution runs the length of the room while hidden behind doors to reduce visual noise. This feature provides generous space to store supplies and can easily be converted into a double wardrobe if it becomes a bedroom. Electing to use sliding doors vs hinge-mounted doors ultimately maximises use of the floor space and presents flexible layout options. Outside, the property’s extension neatly continues the existing brick exterior to not disrupt the curb appeal.  

A Smooth-running Renovation

The challenges presented by COVID restrictions could have ended up costing our Mulgrave homeowners dearly. But with Paul leading the renovation, the project was kept as close to the planned timeline as possible, creating an enjoyable, stress-free experience for Angela and Andrew. Renovations almost always include unforeseen obstacles, which is why having a professional take the wheel is the best way to get from point A to point B – and to assure excellent results.

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